Reference
Version · 6.0
Change Automation Reference

Maven generateChangeLog

Last updated: August 12, 2026

The generateChangeLog goal creates a changelog file that has a sequence of changesets which describe how to re-create the current state of the database.

Uses

The generateChangeLog goal is typically used when you want to capture the current state of a database, then apply those changes to any number of databases. This is typically only done when a project has an existing database but hasn't used Liquibase before.

Note: When using the update goal to apply the changes in the changelog, Liquibase will not create a new database or schema. You must create them before applying the changelog to it.

Maven configuration

You can configure Liquibase Maven in multiple ways. You can pass arguments like <changeLogFile> in Maven directly in your pom.xml file, in a liquibase.properties file referenced in your POM, as environment variables, or as JVM system properties. To learn about each file's syntax, see Maven Properties.

For more information about the Maven configuration, see Configuring Maven.

Before running the generateChangeLog goal, add <outputChangeLogFile>specify the changelog file name you want to generate here</outputChangeLogFile> to your pom.xml file or specify it in another way.

Running the generateChangeLog Maven goal

Running the generateChangeLog goal requires a Maven project to be implemented. To run the goal, type the following in your command prompt:

mvn liquibase:generateChangeLog

When using Liquibase Open Source, the Maven example shown earlier will generate an XML file that might look like the following:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<databaseChangeLog
    xmlns="http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog"
    xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
    xmlns:ext="http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog-ext"
    xmlns:secure="http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/secure"
    xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog
        http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog/dbchangelog-latest.xsd
        http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog-ext
        http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog/dbchangelog-ext.xsd
        http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/secure
        http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/secure/liquibase-secure-latest.xsd">
<changeSet  author="diff-generated"  id="1185214997195-1">
  <createTable  name="BONUS">
<column  name="ENAME"  type="VARCHAR2(10,0)"/>
<column  name="JOB"  type="VARCHAR2(9,0)"/>
<column  name="SAL"  type="NUMBER(22,0)"/>
<column  name="COMM"  type="NUMBER(22,0)"/>
</createTable>
</changeSet>
<changeSet  author="diff-generated"  id="1185214997195-2">
<createTable  name="DEPT">
<column  name="DEPTNO"  type="NUMBER(2,0)"/>
<column  name="DNAME"  type="VARCHAR2(14,0)"/>
<column  name="LOC"  type="VARCHAR2(13,0)"/>
</createTable>
</changeSet>
<changeSet  author="diff-generated"  id="1185214997195-3">
<createTable  name="EMP">
<column  name="EMPNO"  type="NUMBER(4,0)"/>
<column  name="ENAME"  type="VARCHAR2(10,0)"/>
<column  name="JOB"  type="VARCHAR2(9,0)"/>
<column  name="MGR"  type="NUMBER(4,0)"/>
<column  name="HIREDATE"  type="DATE(7,0)"/>
<column  name="SAL"  type="NUMBER(7,2)"/>
<column  name="COMM"  type="NUMBER(7,2)"/>
<column  name="DEPTNO"  type="NUMBER(2,0)"/>
</createTable>
</changeSet>
<changeSet  author="diff-generated"  id="1185214997195-4">
<createTable  name="SALGRADE">
<column  name="GRADE"  type="NUMBER(22,0)"/>
<column  name="LOSAL"  type="NUMBER(22,0)"/>
<column  name="HISAL"  type="NUMBER(22,0)"/>
</createTable>
</changeSet>
<changeSet  author="diff-generated"  id="1185214997195-5">
<addForeignKeyConstraint  baseColumnNames="DEPTNO"
baseTableName="DEPT"  constraintName="FK_NAME"
referencedColumnNames="DEPTNO"  referencedTableName="EMP"/>
</changeSet>
<changeSet  author="diff-generated"  id="1185214997195-6">
<createIndex  indexName="PK_DEPT"  tableName="DEPT">
<column  name="DEPTNO"/>
</createIndex>
</changeSet>
<changeSet  author="diff-generated"  id="1185214997195-7">
<createIndex  indexName="PK_EMP"  tableName="EMP">
<column  name="EMPNO"/>
</createIndex>
</changeSet>
<changeSet  author="diff-generated"  id="1185214997195-8">
<addPrimaryKey  columnNames="DEPTNO"  tableName="DEPT"/>
</changeSet>
<changeSet  author="diff-generated"  id="1185214997195-9">
<addPrimaryKey  columnNames="EMPNO"  tableName="EMP"/>
</changeSet>
</databaseChangeLog>

Liquibase Secure produces a similar changelog file to the one that Liquibase Open Source produces; however, it also produces additional details and files and supports specific stored logic information. The Liquibase Secure-supported stored logic types are:

package
packagebody
function
stored procedure
trigger
view

Note: Not all database platforms support all these types.

If you choose a SQL formatted changelog, the information about these stored logic types will be placed directly in the changelog file.

Note: By default, Liquibase does not split statements for formatted SQL changelogs because splitStatements is set to false in the changelog. If the generatedSQL has multiple SQL statements, like for MSSQL, then Liquibase adds splitStatements:true to the changelog.

If you choose an XML, YAML, or JSON changelog format, the information about these types will be stored in a directory called Objects, which will be placed at the same level as your changelog. The Objects directory contains a subdirectory for each of the listed stored logic types that contain the definition information for any items of that type found in the database. The generated changelog file will contain references to that definition information.

The following example illustrates an XML formatted changelog showing such references:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <databaseChangeLog xmlns="http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:ext="http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog-ext" xmlns:secure="http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/secure" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog/dbchangelog-latest.xsd http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog-ext http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog/dbchangelog-ext.xsd http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/secure http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/secure/liquibase-secure-latest.xsd"> <changeSet author="Administrator (generated)" id="1571345362466-8"> <secure:createTrigger disabled="false" path="objects/trigger/TS_T_EXEMPLAR_SEQEXEMPLAR.sql" relativeToChangelogFile="true" tableName="T_EXEMPLAR" triggerName="TS_T_EXEMPLAR_SEQEXEMPLAR"/> </changeSet> <changeSet author="Administrator (generated)" id="1571345362466-12"> <createView fullDefinition="true" path="objects/view/OREDERS_VIEW.sql" relativeToChangelogFile="true" viewName="OREDERS_VIEW"/> </changeSet> <changeSet author="Administrator (generated)" id="1571345362466-14"> <createProcedure path="objects/storedprocedure/P_CUSTOMER_HAS_NUM_FILM.sql" procedureName="P_CUSTOMER_HAS_NUM_FILM" relativeToChangelogFile="true"/> </changeSet> <changeSet author="Administrator (generated)" id="1571345362466-20"> <secure:createFunction functionName="F_CUSTOMER_HAS_NUM_FILM" path="objects/function/F_CUSTOMER_HAS_NUM_FILM.sql" relativeToChangelogFile="true"/> </changeSet> </databaseChangeLog>

Note: If you want to generate a newer version of the changelog file with stored logic objects and run the generateChangeLog goal more than once, you need to delete, rename, or move the pre-existing Objects directory first.

Attribute	Definition
`liquibase.changeSetAuthor`	Specifies the author for changesets in the generated changelog.
`liquibase.changeSetContext`	Specifies the execution context to be used for changesets in the generated changelog, which can be `","` separated if there are multiple contexts.
`liquibase.changelogCatalogName`	Specifies the catalog Liquibase will use to create your changelog tables.
`liquibase.changelogSchemaName`	Specifies the schema Liquibase will use to create your changelog tables.
`liquibase.clearCheckSums`	Boolean. Forces checksums to be cleared from the DATABASECHANGELOG table. Default value is: false.
`liquibase.contexts`	Specifies which contexts Liquibase will execute, which can be separated by a comma if multiple contexts are required. If a context is not specified, then all contexts will be executed.
`liquibase.databaseChangeLogLockTableName`	Specifies the table name to use for the DATABASECHANGELOG table.
`liquibase.databaseChangeLogTableName`	Specifies the table name to use for the DATABASECHANGELOG table.
`liquibase.databaseClass`	Specifies the database object class.
`liquibase.defaultCatalogName`	Specifies the default catalog name to use for the database connection.
`liquibase.defaultSchemaName`	Specifies the default schema name to use for the database connection.
`liquibase.diffExcludeObjects`	Specifies objects to be excluded from the changelog. Example filters: `"table_name"`, `"table:main_."`, `"column:._lock, table:primary.*"`.
`liquibase.diffIncludeCatalog`	Boolean. Includes the catalog in the `diff` output. If this is null, then the catalog will not be included.
`liquibase.diffIncludeObjects`	Specifies objects to be included in the changelog. Example filters: `"table_name"`, `"table:main_."`, `"column:._lock, table:primary.*"`.
`liquibase.diffTypes`	Specifies the list of `diff` types to include in the changelog, expressed as a comma-separated list from: Tables, views, columns, indexes, foreignkeys, primary keys, uniqueconstraints, data If this is null, then the default types will be: Tables, views, columns, indexes, foreignkeys, primary keys, uniqueconstraints
`liquibase.driver`	Specifies the driver class name to use for the database connection.
`driverPropertiesFile`	Specifies the location of a JDBC connection properties file which contains properties the driver will use.
`liquibase.emptyPassword`	Deprecated. Boolean. Use an empty or null value for the password instead. Default value is: false.
`expressionVariables`	Specifies a map-based collection of changelog properties to apply.
`expressionVars`	Specifies a property-based collection of changelog properties to apply.
`liquibase.format`	Specifies the format in which to display the `diff` output. This format can be TXT or JSON.
`liquibase.includeArtifact`	Boolean. Includes a Maven project artifact in the class loader, which obtains the Liquibase properties file and changelog files. Default value is `true`.
`liquibase.includeTestOutputDirectory`	Boolean. Includes the Maven test output directory in the class loader which obtains the Liquibase properties file and changelog files. Default value is `true`.
`liquibase.licenseKey`	Specifies your Liquibase Secure license key.
`liquibase.outputDefaultCatalog`	Boolean. Specifies whether to ignore the catalog or database name. Default value is: false.
`liquibase.outputDefaultSchema`	Boolean. Specifies whether to ignore the schema name. Default value is: false.
`liquibase.outputFile`	Writes the `diff` output to a file.
`liquibase.outputFileEncoding`	Indicates that you want to set the character encoding of the output file during the `updateSQL` phase.
`liquibase.outputSchemas`	Outputs schema names. This is a CSV list.
`liquibase.password`	Specifies the database password for the database connection.
`liquibase.promptOnNonLocalDatabase`	Deprecated. Boolean. Controls whether users are prompted before executing changesets to a non-local database. Default value is: true.
`liquibase.propertyFile`	Specifies the Liquibase properties file to use for configuration, like `liquibase.properties`.
`liquibase.propertyFileWillOverride`	Boolean. Indicates that you want the `liquibase.properties` file to override any settings provided in the Maven plugin configuration. By default, if a property is explicitly specified, it is not overridden if it also appears in the properties file. Default value is: false.
`liquibase.propertyProviderClass`	Specifies the property provider, which must be a `java.util.Properties` implementation.
`liquibase.server`	Specifies the server ID in the Maven `settings.xml` to use when authenticating.
`liquibase.skip`	Boolean. Specifies whether to skip running Liquibase. The use of this attribute is not recommended but can be used when needed. Default value is: false.
`systemProperties`	Specifies a list of system properties you want to pass to the database.
`liquibase.url`	Specifies the database URL you want to use to execute Liquibase.
`liquibase.username`	Specifies the database username for the database connection.
`liquibase.verbose`	Boolean. Controls the amount of output detail when you call the plugin. Default value is: false.

Maven generateChangeLog output

The generateChangeLog goal generates a changelog that contains all your objects (represented as changesets) and places the file in the same directory where the goal was run.

The extension provided determines the format of the changelog, so if you specify the filename as changelog.xml you will get an XML formatted changelog. However, if you specify the filename as changelog.yaml or changelog.json or changelog.postgresql.sql you will get changelogs formatted in YAML or JSON or SQL, respectively.

Note: When generating an SQL formatted changelog, you must specify the short name of the targeted database type as part of the filename.

When successful, the generateChangeLog Maven goal produces the following output:

Starting Liquibase at 10:35:51 (version 4.1.1 #10 built at 2020-10-12 19:24+0000) [INFO] Parsing Liquibase Properties File local.liquibase.properties for changeLog parameters [INFO] Executing on Database: jdbc:oracle:thin:@localhost:1521/ORCL [INFO] Generating Change Log from database MVN_UAT @ jdbc:oracle:thin:@localhost:1521/ORCL (Default Schema: MVN_UAT) BEST PRACTICE: The changelog generated by diffChangeLog/generateChangeLog should be inspected for correctness and completeness before being deployed [INFO] changeSets count: 1 [INFO] dbchangelog.xml does not exist, creating and adding 1 changesets. [INFO] Output written to Change Log file, dbchangelog.xml [INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [INFO] [INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [INFO] BUILD SUCCESS [INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [INFO] Total time: 9.373 s [INFO] Finished at: 2020-11-25T10:35:57-06:00 [INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Maven generateChangeLog

Uses

Maven configuration

Running the generateChangeLog Maven goal

Liquibase Community generateChangelog changelog example

When using Liquibase Open Source, the Maven example shown earlier will generate an XML file that might look like the following:

Liquibase Secure generateChangelog changelog example

Optional Maven generateChangeLog configuration attributes

Maven generateChangeLog output